January 26th, 2009 Don’t trash your shoes
Posted by
Bruce in
Ecoathlete Like many runners I know, I’m in the habit to tossing my old running shoes into the closet when they’re too worn out for training. While I’ll retain the occasional pair for non-running wear, the vast majority sit around, slightly smelly, stained and unloved, awaiting my yearly cull.
Rather than toss them in the garbage, where they’d be sent off to a landfill, I’ve always preferred that my shoes have the chance of a second home.
When I lived in Boulder, I would round up my shoes and take them to the Fleet Feet running store, a drop-off location for One World Running, a non-profit organization based in Boulder. After my shoes were picked up from Fleet Feet by the One World Running volunteers, they would be washed and separated into two piles: the “near-new” and the unusable.
The “near-new” shoes would be shipped off to Third World countries to be given to needy athletes and children. The shoes that were too beat up and not suitable for shipping would be sent to Nike, through Boulder’s Eco-Cycle program, and recycled through Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program. After arriving in Beaverton, Oregon, Nike grinds up the shoes and makes rubber mats for playgrounds and running tracks. And, no, they don’t have to be Nike running shoes to be recycled!
Another option is to ship your gently used shoes directly to Africa through the Shoe4Life program. This incredible organization does more than just provide running shoes to those in need; it has branched out to address broader health issues, such as HIV/ AIDS testing and awareness, and the development of a hospital in Kenya.
For other options for donating your unwanted running shoes, check out the Recycled Runners’ shoe recycling directory for drop-off locations near you. Even though it may take a bit of work, recycling your shoes is a far better alternative than having them pile up in your closet — or worse, take up space in a landfill!
Sarah Groff is a professional triathlete currently ranked 4th in the ITU World Cup. Contact Sarah at info@afitplanet.com.
